Flight Down
by nelliskinkyinbed
Summary: While on a Flight over the country to help out with large case, the team's smartest pair; Nell and Eric, find themselves in a drastic situations when the private plane they're flying in goes down and into a forest in the middle of no where. As time goes on, the night gets colder and injuries worsen, can the two be found in time, or will it all be too late? (Set before season 4.)
1. Chapter 1

**First off, changed my name from **_Eric and Nell's Oreo'_s **to **_nelliskinkyinbed_** to match my tumblr url.**

**This story was up before, but due to problems with the story I took it down and re did it all with the help of **_touche1 _**on FF . net** _densiandneric _**on tumblr** **for beta reading :)**

**Thanks for reading, enjoy. **

* * *

"And you're sure you packed everything we need; cables, transmitters, the kaleidoscope software, the backup laptops, the-"

"Nell, calm down I double checked everything after you triple checked them. What's got you so anxious anyways? We've done this hundreds of times before we're just going to a different state, that's all."

Nell looked down at her hands, "I just don't want them to think I'm not good at my job, we're going to see the best of the best here, Eric," she stressed.

Eric was quietly shocked, "Why would they think you're not good at your job? You're one of the best yourself," he replied to reassure his partner.

"Because of my age. I'm younger than most Intelligence analysts and other government researchers and I lost a really good job once because of it. I don't want them to think that I can't do my job because I'm younger. My height doesn't help much either." She sighed and turned her head to look out of the window.

Eric watched his partner for a moment. She was younger than everyone else he knew work-wise and she was shorter. But that didn't mean she wass any less qualified. In fact he thought she was over qualified. She had an IQ she didn't share with anyone because she thought people would treat her differently; she had offers from multiple agencies and think tanks before winding up here. Not only was she brain smart, she was game smart. Nell could kick ass at any video game, whether it be Modern Warfare to Diablo 3 or Donkey Kong to Mario Cart, Nell was the best at all. Except for the Rainbow Road, Eric could beat her at that and he held on to it. It was funny to see Nell get frustrated because she was not the best at everything, but it was also worrying that even when she was with him, her partner, she still had to be the best. Cute too. He had to mentally admit that, never out loud though.

"Nell, you're the smartest person I know. Even though you won't let anyone know what your IQ, which is apparently higher than all our credit scores combined. You shouldn't let them think you're not worth it, just because you're younger than them, it doesn't mean you're not as good, it means you're better. You can hack laps around them Nell, and you're going to get your chance to show them that tomorrow. And I'll be there to rough anyone up if they mess with you." He added the last bit in there to make her smile.

Nell scoffed, "You're going to 'rough them up', Eric they're analysts not a 70s jocks. I think I'll be fine," she rolled her eyes, "But thanks."

"Anytime Rockstar," Eric looked around the small plane. "I can't believe Hetty hooked us up with this, just for us."

Nell smirked, "I may have done some sweet talking."

Eric gave an over the top gasp, "You sweet talked Hetty, is that even possible?"

Before Nell could answer; the plane rocked and two of their bags fell from the over head compartment. Nell fell forward and Eric put an arm out instinctively to stop her from flying off her seat.

"What the hell was that?!" Nell swore out loud, her breathing heavy.

"I don't know, are you okay?" Eric asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, no real-" she cut herself off. "Eric?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

Nell's body stiffened and she bit her lip then looked up. "Think about where your hand is, and then think about removing it."

Eric turned his head to see that his hand was currently over Nell's breast and that she was pressing her tongue against the inside of cheek, trying to ignore it.

"Crap, sorry, I didn't mean to." He tried to apologize after taking his hand off her.

"I know you didn't, and at the moment I'm more concerned about why that happened." She pushed herself up. The plane then shook again causing Nell to fall back into Eric's lap.

"I thought you didn't want me to touch you?" he quipped.

Nell just glared back at him like death, "Oh shut up, Eric. It was the plane," she narrowed her eyes and stood up.

"But seriously, are you okay?" he questioned looking her up and down.

Nell eased up "Like I said – just the plane."

"Sorry about that guys, just a bit of turbulence. Everything is fine," the monotone voice came over the speaker.

Eric glanced over to Nell. "Hear that? you can stop stressing now. Sit down and try to sleep before we land."

Nell found the true care in his words and eyes. She gave back a warm smile. She knew he cared for her and she would reciprocate but never more than a professional standard. That's what she told herself. The truth was she never really had a friend like Eric before; sure she'd had friends in school that she would hang out with, but never any that really got her like Eric. Never one that got tech stuff, never one that shared her loved for video games and black and white movies, and never one that shared a love for Oreos until she started to work at NCIS. This trip was only ever meant for her but he had somehow worked his way through Nell's wall to her soft spot and she'd offered for him to come.

She sat down in her seat and closed her eyes, still aware how Eric was watching her. She relaxed under his gaze and gradually fell asleep.

* * *

"Nell! Wake up!" She was being shaken awake by a great force that practically threw her off her seat. Her eyes burst open and Eric was holding her down by her shoulders as the plane violently shook. "Nell!"

Nell shot up, pushing Eric's arms away. This time she did fly forward, hitting her head as she toppled to the ground. She covered her arms over her head as the plane nose dived. She could hear Eric shouting for her but she remained curled up. Her knees were pressed tight against her chest as gravity pulled things towards her, hitting her with sufficient force. She had gone into self protection mode and couldn't wrap her brain around anything. "Eric! Eric!" she continued to call.

She then felt two arms wrap around her protectively and huddle close to her. "You okay?" he called over the noise.

Suddenly there was a loud bang and the small plane shook again causing Nell to scream. She felt Eric's arms tighten around her. Nell kept her eyes tightly shut and tried her best to block her ears. The noise of everything dropping and hitting the floors and walls was loud, accompanied with the searing of the failing engine and screaming alarms.

This is not how she wanted to end, she wanted to live longer, go more places, she had never left America yet, she was always too busy. And now it was all going to end.

Eric kept his head down and his body pressed close to Nell's petite figure. Over the shaking of the plane he could feel Nell shaking, the fear going through her whole body. Bags, tableware and other objects came flying down and hitting his back. But for some reason he didn't register the pain as bad as it really was, he was too concerned on covering Nell and making sure she wasn't hit.

Then there was the impact. A heavy thud caused both their bodies to jump and Eric's arms to leave her. She suddenly felt at risk without him over her and she let out a small scream "Eric!" she continued but there was no reply.

Then came the plane hitting ground causing Nell to come back and hit against the wall and lose consciousness.

* * *

The first bit of consciousness he had was full of pain. There was a heavy weight pinning him from his stomach down. That was all he could sense. Pain everywhere. It was stopping his movements so he couldn't budge from whatever was on top of him. It was stopping his train of thought; all he could think of was pain.

After a while his eyes began to focus and all he could see was a bright sky and trees. The blond found it ironic the sun was shining bright, because from his point it wasn't all sunshine and blue skies. It was madness. He still hadn't come to terms with the fact he was in a plane crash. The plane he was in crashed.

He tried to look himself over but pulling his neck up was like he was ripping muscle. But he could see out of the corner of his eye, there was a large metal object on top of him, holding him down. He kept asking himself how he had ended up like this. The last thing he remembered was being in the plane huddled over Nell and she let out a scream of horror.

Nell! He started to think. Where was she? Was she okay? Was she still on the plane? Eric opened his mouth and began to yell. "Help! Someone help!" He found that his series of cries could not be continued as he struggled to fill his lungs, causing him to cough brutally.

Fear began to set in and he began to struggle. He refused to be stuck like this, waiting for someone or something that might never come. His left arm was trapped but he could still move his right. Fruitlessly he began to push against the cold metal that was atop him. It did nothing, not even budging. He let out a yell of anger and recklessly whacked his hand against it in a burst of frustration. He then began to thrash. He tried to twist his body but that was a mistake. He cried out again but in more pain than before. He could feel the jagged metal cut his side and he fell back again.

Giving up his concerns for himself because he obviously wasn't going to get out of here any time soon, his thoughts returned to Nell. Was she in the same situation as him? Was she trapped underneath something? Or was she still in the plane where he was taken away from her as he got sucked out the door and into the trees?

"Nell! Nell!" he called out for his partner but got no response apart from the rustling trees. "Nell!"

* * *

She had no idea how long she was out. It must have been a few hours because the sun had just started its journey to the west. Her head hurt like crazy and her ankle was killing her. Not to mention the pain her ribs were giving her. She opened her eyes and she was staring along the aisle. Dark blue carpet filled most of her vision along with bags and miscellaneous objects.

She suddenly jerked herself up and was struck by pain. She gritted her teeth and sat up, leaning against the wall. She closed her eyes and held her sides with both her arms. Her eyes popped open again and she looked in all directions. "Eric!" she croaked "Eric!"

She grabbed hold on the ledge of the small counter and pulled herself up, putting all her weight on her right side and keeping her left off the ground. "Eric! Where are you?" She made her way to the cock pit where she saw the pilot slung forward in his seat. She placed two fingers against his neck and sighed. She wiped a hand over her face and lent back on the wall, giving her foot a break. "Eric?" she called hopelessly, "Eric?"

Nell motivated herself and made her way out of the plane. Her finger tracing along the broken hinges on the door, where it hung loosely. She held her side with her right arm and moved along the side of the plane holding herself up with her left arm against the plane.

Everywhere she looked there was debris of the broken plane and everything that was once inside it. As she wandered around the plane she noticed the wing was missing. Taking a quick look around she noticed half of it was about 20 meters away in the trees, she couldn't see the other half.

"Eric... Eric... Eric!" she yelled her loudest and waited for a reply. The only response she got was the ringing repeating itself in her head. She watched the dimming sky. Someone has to be looking for us by now. One thing was for sure she needed to find Eric before dark came. She still wasn't going to believe he was dead just because he got sucked out the plane. She shook her head and kept limping until she came to tree line.

After searching for what felt like forever, but judging by the sky only 20 minutes, she had found a large enough stick to use on her bad side. She was able to cover more ground with the stick and not keep having to hold herself up with the trees, which took up most of her time. Nell followed a path through the trees that had been made by a fly away piece of plane. She could see it far off in the distance as she continued down the trail. "Eric?" she called with little hope as she started to grow cold under the breeze "Eric?" She held her sides again and moved forward.

"Nell?" a small voice came out from the trees, "Nell, where are you?"

"Eric?" She didn't spot him at first but once she did, she almost forgot about her foot and she rushed over and got down, kneeling beside him.

He had several cuts over his face and his green eyes were pale in comparison to what they usually were. He had a lost look on his face like a small kid gone astray in a mall. It was then she noticed that she was trapped under the other half of the white wing. Her hand travelled from his pinned arm to his chin and she looked over him. "Oh Eric..." she said under her breath.

His faded eyes watched hers carefully "Nell, are you okay?"

"Am I okay? Eric, what about you? You're the one under a plane's wing," she choked out.

His eyes stayed the same, concerned.

"I'm good, Eric." She tried to calm herself, "What about you?" she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"I've been better," he joked, trying to bring up a smile. He could see pain in his partner's eyes as she watched him.

"Maybe I can get you out," she looked around and moved her hands over to the plane's wing.

"Nell..." Eric replied calmly.

She pushed herself up, "Maybe I can wedge something in between then get a branch and, and..."

"Nell..."

"Hang on I'm looking for something..." she searched the forest floor for a tree branch.

"Nell!" Eric yelled loud enough to grab her attention.

She turned back around. Eric's face was covered in pain and sadness. He already knew that he wasn't going to get out but Nell didn't want to believe that. She went back down next to Eric but shook her head. "No. I'm not just going to leave you like this; we need to try getting you out." Hot moisture was building up behind her eyes. "You're my partner, Eric. I can't just let you stay like this."

"It's great you finally admit I'm your partner," he flatly joked with a low voice.

The first tear fell, "Don't joke about this Eric. I don't want to lose you, especially not like this." More tears followed.

Eric moved his good arm around her. "You're not gonna lose me, okay, I'm right here. Still breathing." He tried consoling her. He wasn't going to tell her how bad the pain really was. She didn't need to hear that every time he breathed it felt as if his insides her burning, she didn't need to hear that when he put his arm around her it took all the strength he had to not to cry out in pain.

They didn't speak while the sky lost its color, they just kept close. Every few minutes they would ask if the other was okay and the other would nod back. But slowly, emotions began to take over and Nell couldn't help it anymore.

Nell took his hand and held onto it tightly. "I shouldn't be the one breaking down like this, I'm not trapped." She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Eric breathing was slower now as the chill of the night was setting in. "It's... fine... It's just... good to know... you're... here..." He weakly squeezed her hand. "They... should be... looking... for us... now, right?" He asked her as she lifted her head from where she was curled up beside him, trying to block out the cold.

"Yeah, yeah, they should be. They'll be here soon, then we'll go hospital and we'll be okay," she fingers gingerly moved back hair from his face. She tried to get him to believe. But how could she make him believe it if she didn't herself. "I don't want to go all Titanic on you but we're going to get out of this okay and we're going to get past this, you just have to hold on." She rubbed his hand and gave a weak smile.

She watched as Eric shivered, his lips were a light blue color and his checks turned a cold bitten red. "Hey, you're freezing." She put his arm around him in a small hope he wouldn't freeze to death if his injuries didn't take him first.

His teeth chattered, "Go get one of the blankets from the plane," he instructed now in a whisper.

Nell watched his pale form, his eyes barely open now and his breathing dangerously slow and long. "I'm not leaving you Eric. They should be here soon." She shook her head and placed the back of her hand on his cheek.

"Nell please, I'm not good but you can make it out of here. That blanket can save your life. I'm not going to let you freeze yourself. I'll be here when you get back. Please get the blanket." The pain in his voice made her want to cry, he didn't want her to die because of her own stubbornness. He held her hand. "Please."

Nell bit her lip, she knew he was right. "I'll be back, stay awake." She traced her thumb over a cut in his cheek and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Please stay awake." She pushed herself up with her stick and made her way back to the plane. It was bitter cold and she couldn't stop herself from shaking. She watched the sky for a moment and decided it was around 8:30 – 9:00.

Once she got to the plane she made her way down the aisle looking for the emergency blanket. She found it under her old seat which was now in half. She wrapped the itchy material round her and stumbled her way out the plane.

"Eric, I'm back," she called in a small voice as she came down beside him. She covered the blanket over him and herself, and pushed herself close to his side. "I'm back, Eric." She watched his face and his eyes were shut. "Eric?" she sat up and pushed against his shoulder "Eric?" She shook his shoulder more "Wake up, Eric," she cried as more sobs started. "I brought the blanket; you can open your eyes now, Eric." Her hand balled up against his shirt. "Wake up, Eric, wake up! Open your eyes."

She grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Eric, I'm here. Please wake up." She could feel the tears tumble down her cheeks and hit the foliage below. Her sore throat and chest constricted her breathing.

"I still have to tell you something, Eric. I need to tell you before you go. So please wake up so I can tell you." She bit her lip watching him.

Her fingers inched closer to his neck and she placed them to where his pulse should have been. And at that moment it seemed the entire forest stood still and silent. A shuddering breath left Nell's throat as her forehead connected with Eric's and she began to silently cry. "Please don't leave me, partner. I need you." She pushed herself back up and stared at his motionless face. "I never got to tell you", she wiped her face "Before I moved here, I had hardly any friends, I was labelled as a nerd and an outcast the second I was put two years above at my school. I always felt like I never belonged anywhere, even back home. But you were the first true friend that treated me like that even after you learnt I had a high IQ, you treated me the same and I actually felt what normal was." She covered her mouth as she chocked again. "You made me a better person, Eric. You're my best friend Eric and I will never forget you or what you meant to me. I loved you Eric and I still do and always will, no one can even come close to being the person you were to me." She wiped back his mangled hair. "And I obviously meant something to you, you sent me away, made me safe, so I wouldn't see you die. Thank you Eric."

Nell fell back down close to her deceased partner with the blanket tightly around her. Tears continued to stream down her pale face as she waited for the rescue that came too late.

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**Thank you for reading, and please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Nell stared blankly across to the white wall in front of her. Her knees were tight to her chest as she lay on her side in the hospital bed. She hugged her legs tightly and bit her lip harshly when she thought she was going to cry again. All she could think about was Eric, how he made her leave when he knew he was going to die. Even at his death he was still the most selfless person she had met. And now he was gone. She still had so many things to tell him, so many things she needed to tell him. Now he'd never know how much she cared for him in a more than just a partner way.

She still didn't want to accept his death. She didn't want to be told that she'd never see his smile again, that she'd never get to see that determined look in his light green eyes, never hear the smacking of his sandal against the smooth ops floor. It was all these tiny things she took for granted before that she would miss the most. But most of all she'd miss his voice, just the way he would say hello to her in the morning or when he would call her just to talk.

It was all gone now and Nell didn't know what she going to do. Her best friend was gone and she felt helpless without him.

By now tears were uncontrollably slipping down her face, but she had no need to stop them. She just hugged herself tighter and pulled the blankets closer, pushing her face further into the now tear stained pillow.

She heard the door open and two pairs of feet walk in and stand by her bed. Nell could already guess what they wanted. But she didn't want to talk she wanted to just lie in the bed, alone. Nell hadn't spoken to any of the team in nearly three days, she had told them all to leave once she had woken in hospital and they had confirmed the worst.

"Nell," Kensi's soft voice came from behind her. Nell didn't answer her, there was nothing she had to say to the team. She knew it wasn't their fault but at the moment, she just needed someone to be angry at, they knew she didn't mean it. None of them really knew the true hurt and pain of what she was going through at the moment.

"I don't want to talk," she mumbled against the pillow, "There's nothing I have to say." She barely heard Deeks whisper something to Kensi before the door open and shut again. A large weight then fell on the end of the bed and by the sigh let out soon after Nell knew it was Deeks. Out of both of them she didn't know why Deeks would be the one to stay.

"I know what it's like... to lose a partner. I lost mine just before I came to work with NCIS. I know it's not the same with what happened to you and Eric, you two were a lot closer, but better me talk to you than someone who hasn't. I wasn't even there when she died."

Nell slowly shifted onto her back, "Why are you telling me this?" Her tired eyes gradually moving to watch him.

"You're not alone, you need to know there is someone that has gone through what you have. I'm here if you need to talk, so is Kensi, so is everyone else." He tried explaining to his devastated friend.

"Were you in love with your previous partner?" she asked blankly.

Deeks looked quite surprised at her question and couldn't believe what she had just said. But there was truth and pain in her eyes that made him see and he let out another breath. "Err, no but she was my best friend, the only real person who liked me back then. I still miss her but I got through it because I had people for support."

Nell started welling up again, "I don't think I can get over this. Eric meant more to me than anyone ever has, I never got to tell him how I felt, I didn't get to say goodbye. I can't forgive myself for that." Her words held anger and she shoved her face into her hands as she wept again.

Deeks tried to comfort her but he knew there was nothing he could really do to help her. "We all miss him, Nell." He pulled his phone from his pocket and held it out to her.

When she finally pulled her head from her damp hands she gave him a questioning look "What – what's that for?"

Deeks rubbed at his stubble, "When my mom died, she was the only one I had so my therapist told me to try call her."

"But I thought you said she died?" her lip trembled.

Deeks nodded, "She did, but her voice mail message was still on her phone. It really helped me get through. We talked, we laughed, we even cried at one point. It gave me the closure that I needed and actually start my pursuit to be a cop."

Nell gave a sad but sceptical look. Deeks placed the phone on the stand beside the bed, "It's there if you want to try." He left the room quietly.

Nell let the phone sit there for a moment. She just wanted to sleep now. She had spent most of her time putting off sleep in this hospital, the nurses having to sedate her one time. But now she felt as if she could no longer keep her eyes open. She decided to do what Deeks had told her after she slept. Slowly her lids shut and she fell into darkness.

_xxx_

_'Nell!' she heard her name being called._

_Her eyes widened as she heard the familiar voice behind her 'Eric! Where are you?' she turned around._

_'Right here.' The reply was right next to her and she turned._

_'Eric is that really you?' she breathed. He looked normal, no cuts, no scratches and no bruises. Just Eric, the way she remembered him._

_'I'm here now, Nell, you don't need to cry anymore.' Nell felt her eyes brim again._

_'It was so horrible without you I didn't know what to do,' she told him with a shaky breath. Nell felt her heart swell as Eric's arms went around her and she laid her head on his warm chest. She felt him whispering to her as he pressed his lips to the top of her head. 'I don't want to go back without you. I'll miss you too much, I need you. There are so many things I need to tell you." She stepped back._

_Eric curled some hair behind her ear and cupped a cheek with his other hand. 'Then don't go back, come with me, we'll be happy, Nell, together.'_

_Nell sucked in a breath and looked up at him, 'Together?' Nell watched as he nodded._

_'Just us, Rockstar, I don't want to be without you either.' And before Nell knew it they were in a soft kiss..._

_xxx_

Hetty paced the short cut green grass. Her hands were placed in her coat as the wind blew behind her. Today's sky was gloomy and there was a high chance for rain. She had arrived after everyone else because she had decided she wanted to do this part herself.

When she got to where she needed to be she stopped and let out a breath she had held since she had left the car. From her coat she pulled the bouquet of flowers and placed them between the two headstones that she had requested to be together.

Nell's had been a surprise death; she had gone soon after Deeks had spoken with her from internal bleeding that the doctors had picked up too late. But she had fought until the end and it had been as peaceful as possible.

"I'm so sorry dearies. It should have never been like this."

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**Thank you for reading, please review.**


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